Carbon Farming

About Jatropha:

 Jatropha Curcas is a perennial, small tree growing to a maximum height of about 3-5 meters. It grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions of any type of soil from poorest, stony to saline soils. It can survive in low rainfall conditions (200 mm) and in hot climatic conditions. It lives for 35-40 years. Jatropha can be cultivated as a commercial crop due to its diverse uses. For commercial cultivation, a little bit of care, some nutrition and moderately low watering could do wonders to a cultivator with significantly low investments.

Jatropha Curcas is resistant to drought and can be planted even in the desert climates, and it thrives on any type of soil, grows almost anywhere; in sandy, gravelly and saline soils. It needs minimal input or management it takes less people to manage and maintain the plantation. The plants can survive long periods of drought. Propagation is easy, plant growth is rapid; forms a thick growth after only a month's planting. Jatropha Curcas quickly establishes itself and will produce seeds round the year if irrigated and starts yielding seed pods from the second year onwards and continues for up to 40 years. The seed pods are not the only valuable part of this plant, the leaves and the bark are used for various other industrial and pharmaceutical uses.

Normally a Jatropha tree takes 18 months to produce flowers. Most plants produce a substantial quantity of seed pods after the first year (within 18-months of seedling plantings). You see if the small 3 month sapling is planted, then it grows faster and starts flowering in the First year. But it is suggested that all the "first flowers" be plucked from the plants to give it one more year for a stronger plant development. For farmers, planting Jatropha represents an additional source of income at little cost. Jatropha can either be intercropped with existing plants, effectively fertilizing the soil, or it can be planted on unused land that poor nutrient content has rendered unsuitable for food crops.